Rowan Baseball Wins First Game Against Stockton

Profs continue strong start to NJAC play with 9-4 victory over Ospreys

Apr. 3, 2026 at 8:33pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a college baseball game, with the players' bodies and the field broken down into overlapping, abstract shapes in vibrant colors representing the team uniforms.Rowan's gritty victory over a conference rival showcases the team's resilience and determination to capture the NJAC title this season.Stockton Today

The Rowan University baseball team defeated the Stockton University Ospreys 9-4 on Thursday at the Rowan Baseball Field. The No. 7 nationally ranked Profs won their ninth game in a row and improved to 14-2 on the season despite rainy and cold conditions. Senior Nick Struble hit a key two-run double in the seventh inning to give Rowan some insurance runs.

Why it matters

Rowan's strong start to New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) play keeps them in contention for the conference title, which they narrowly missed out on last season. The Profs are looking to secure an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament with a dominant NJAC campaign.

The details

Rowan starting pitcher Ben Schild, a transfer from UConn, recovered after a tough third inning that saw Stockton take an early 2-0 lead. Schild went 5.2 innings and allowed just three runs on 97 pitches. Junior Brayden Davis hit his NJAC-leading seventh home run of the season, while sophomore Evan McCoach broke a 3-3 tie in the sixth inning by reaching base on a Stockton error.

  • The game was played on Thursday, April 3, 2026.
  • Rowan is now 14-2 on the season and 5-0 at home.

The players

Mike Dickson

Rowan's head baseball coach.

Nick Struble

Rowan senior first baseman who hit a key two-run double in the seventh inning.

Ben Schild

Rowan starting pitcher, a transfer from UConn, who went 5.2 innings and allowed just three runs.

Brayden Davis

Rowan junior who hit his NJAC-leading seventh home run of the season.

Evan McCoach

Rowan sophomore who broke a 3-3 tie in the sixth inning by reaching base on a Stockton error.

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What they’re saying

“Today was a tough day because the guys got to pull a tarp, there's a ton of water in right field from the rain last night, so we got to get the field ready and then they got to play a game. Credit to them for not letting the weather affect them and, you know, coming out and grabbing that win.”

— Mike Dickson, Head Coach

“Yeah, it's nice to finally see something drop.”

— Nick Struble, Senior First Baseman

“I've been struggling personally, but as long as the team's winning and my guys are picking me up, I know they got my back at the end of the day, so that's the only thing that matters is winning.”

— Nick Struble, Senior First Baseman

“He battled. He could have let that inning get away from him, [but he held] them to two runs.”

— Mike Dickson, Head Coach

“You know, obviously a strikeout is an easy out, so if you get a ball in play, you never know what can happen. If you look at college infielders, they're only going to field probably 92%, so there's going to be 8% of those balls that are not made.”

— Mike Dickson, Head Coach

What’s next

Rowan will face both Stockton and Montclair State on the road this weekend as they continue NJAC play. The Profs are looking to secure an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament with a strong conference record.

The takeaway

Rowan's convincing win over Stockton despite rainy and cold conditions demonstrates the team's resilience and determination to build on last season's near-miss of the NJAC title. The Profs' balanced offensive production and solid pitching performance have them well-positioned for a deep postseason run.